Endless-film reel



June 15,1928. 1,588,868

L. A. WILSON ENDLES S FILM REEL Filed Sept. 2, 1922 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Patented June 15, 1926.

UNITED STATES y LYMAN A. WILSON, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y;

ENDLESS-FILM REEL.

Application led September 2, 1922. Serial No. 585,914.

This invention relates to an endless filml reel, and is an improvement of my endless film reel described in my Patent No. 1,382,- 040, dated June 21st, 1921.

Its object is the production of a reel, by means of which a spirally wound endless film can be unwound at its core in amounts equal to that simultaneously wound on the outside therevof. ,'Lhesecond object of the invention is the production of a reel that is wound up with outer windings and un- Wound at its core without injury thereto.

In the drawing Fig. 1 represents an elevation of an exempliication of the endless film reel; Fig. 2 shows a top plan view of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 indicates an enlarged partial section-oflFig'. 2 on the line 3, ,3 and partial side view of some of the parts of the reel; Fig. 4 represents an enlarged section of Fig. 2 on theline 4, 4 and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of Fig. 4.

A casin is indicated in its entirety by v the letter and comprises the front wall 20, the rear wall 21, theside walls 22 and 23, bottom wall 24 and the detachable cover 25, with the sleeve 25.

A lower supporting frame is designated l in its entirety by the letter B, and comprises a central supporting disc 28 from which extend'the straight arms 29, that join with the inclined members 30, and the latter have formed therewith the feet 31. An upper supporting frame is indicated in its entirety by the letter C, and comprises the central supporting disc 35, that has extending therefrom the sleeve36. A thread 37 isformed in the said vdisc 35 and in the sleeve 36. Straight arms 38 extend from the disc 35, and inclined members 39 with the feet 49, extend from the arms 38. Screws 41 extend through openings on the feet 31 and 40 and detachably clamp them to the-cover25. f

A turntable is indicated in its entirety by the letter D. The turntable comprises the upper annular supporting disc 43 with the annular depression 44. A cup shaped barrel extends from the disc 43and comprises the side wall 45that extends from the bottom wall 46. y

Asleeve 47 extends from the wall 46, and a horizontal extension 48 is formed with the sleeve 47 Thel sleeve 47 is journaled in the sleeve 25". A bushing 52 is axially supported in the sleeve r47'. An annular disc extension 53 is located in the annular de# pression 44, and .is detachably secured in place to the turntableD, by means of the screws 54.

An annular disc 58 with one member 59 of a ball race is fastened to the disc 35, and the second member 60 of theh ball race is formed in the lower face ofthe sleeve 47.

Ball bearings 6l are located in the members of the ball race to support the sleeve 47 A stationary cup shaped gear housing is indicated in its entirety by the letter- E. The housing E comprises the cylindrical wall 64, with the ange at its -upper end and the llat wall 66 at its bottom end. 'A sleeve 67 'extends from the wall 66 and has formed therewith the threaded shank 68, that is in threaded engagement with the sleeve 36. A bushing 69 is fastened to the sleeve 67. A cover 7 (l is detachably supported on the flange 65 and is secured in place by means of the screws 71. A sleeve 72 extends from the cover in the yaxial center thereof and a bushing 73 is provided for the sleeve 72.v A plurality of sleeves 78 with their axial centers in the path of a circle extend from the cover 70, and are each provided with bushings 79.

An internal gear isvindicated in its entirety by the letter Gr and comprises the cylindrical wall 80 with the teeth 81, and from which extends the flat bottom wall 82. An axial sleeve 83 extends up from the wall 82.

A bearing 86 is supported von the disc 28 and isy provided with the bushing 87 andL ball bearing 88.

A main shaft 92 i-s fastened to the sleeve 83 of the internal gear G and is journaled in the bushings 73, 69 and 87. The bottom end of the shaft`92 bears on the ball bearing 88.

Spindles 93 are journaled in each' of the bushings 79 and have fastened to their upper ends the ide rollers 95 sometimes curved on their outer faces. Spur gears 96 lare fastened to the lower ends of the spindles 93 and mesh with the teeth 81 ofv the yinternal gear G.

A worm wheel 97 is fastened to the main shaft 92 and a worm wheel 98 is fastened to the sleeve 47.

A stuffing box is indicated in its entirety by the letter H. lThe said stuliin box comprises the -sleeve 99 with the The flange 100 is detachably fastened to the wall 20 of the casing A andthe sleeve 99 extends through an opening in said wall 2O into the said casing A. A gland 101 ange 100.

and packing 102 of the usual construction are provided for the stuffing box H.

A frame is indicated in its entirety by the letter I and comprises the vertical member 103 with the upper foot 104 and the lower foot 105. Journal bearings 106, 107 and the boss 108 are formed with the vertical member 103. The foot 104 is detachably vfastenedto the cover and the foot 105 is vdetachably fastened to one of the arms 29. A journal bracket 110 with the vertical legs 111 is fastened to and extends up from one of the arms 38 and a journal bracket 112 with the vertical legs 113 is fastened to and extends from the bottom face of said arm 38.

A driving shaft 116 extends through the stuiiing box H into the casing A and is journaled in the journal bearing 106 and in the legs 111. A worm 117 is fastened to the shaft 116 between the legs 111 and meshes with the worm wheel-"98. A spur gear 118 is fastened to the shaft 116. A second shaft 122 is journaled in the' journal bearing 107 and in the legs 113. A worm 123 is fastened to the second shaft 122 between the legs 113, and meshes with the worm wheel 97. A spur gear 124 is fastened to the shaft 122. A shaft 125 is fastened to and extends from the boss 108. An idler spur gear. 126 is journaled on the shaft 125 and meshes with the spur gears 118 and 124.

A guide cover plate is indicated in its entirety by the letter J and has formed therewith the lug 128 and the bifurcated lugs 129.

A hinge bracket 134 with the hinge member 135 is fastened to and extends up from the cover 25. A second hinge member 136 is fastened tothe cover plate J and is hinged to themember 135, by means of the hinge pin 137. Posts 138 with threaded Shanks 139 are fastened to and extend up from the cover 25. The Shanks 139 are positioned to extend through the bifurcated lugs 129, and nuts 140 for said Shanks 139hold the plate J in place. A

A sleeve post 144 extends up from the cover 25 and adjustably supports the spindle 145, which latter has fastened to its upper end the film guide rod 1461 The latter has formed therewith the film guide loop 147 A sleeve post 150 extends up from the cover 25, and'y has adjustably supported therein the spindle 151 with the hexagon head 152. Springs 153 and 154 extend from one of the faces of the hexagon head 152 and have respectively journaled to their swinging ends, the tension guide rollers 155 and 156.

- A lpost 160 extendsv up from the cover 25, and as journaledithereto the guide roller 161. A spindle 162 extends from the lower face of the lug 128 and has journaled thereto the guide roller 163.

An endless film is indicated A in its entirety by the letter-K and leads in a vertical plane `nisrn of the him reel Laaaeea or a plane perpendicular to the turntable D from a motion picture machine or other apparatus, not shown, for which it is to be used.

The film K extends around the guide roller 163 and is wound around the guide rollers 95 in a plurality of windings K. The innermost winding leads around one of the guide rollers 95 as indicated at K2. The film K then rises and twists or makes a turn of ninety de rees to a horizontal plane as indicated at (3 and islead through the film guide loop 147. After leaving the guide loop 147 it extends around the guide roller 161 and in so doing is twisted bak to a vertical plane as indicated at K4, and returns to the motion picture apparatus or other apparatus for which it is used.

The. guide tension rollers 155 and 156 bear against the outermost Winding K5 to maintain the film in proper position on the tirrn table D. The spindle 151 can be located in different angular positions to regulate the pressure of the rollers 155 and 156 against the film. The casing A contains a liquid lubricant to lubricate the moving parts of the machine therein and is indicated by the line A.

To operate the endless film reel the driving shaft 116 is turned by means not shown, and the second shaft 122 is thereby turned through the idler spur gear 126 in the same direction. The shaft 116 through the worm 117 turns the worm wheel 98 and the shaft 122 through the worm wheel 97 turns the main shaft 92. The turn table D turns with the worm wheel 98 in the direction of the arrow M, and the gear housing G remains stationary. The annular disc extension 53 extends inwardly beyond the outer face of the guide rollers 95, and thereby the endless film K is prevented from entering the clearance space N between the inner edge of said extension-53 and the outer edge of the cover of the gear housing E. The main shaft 92 turns with the Worm wheel 97 and thereby the internal gear G also turns in the direction of the arrow M. The spur gears 96 simultaneously turn in the direction of the arrows O when the gear G ,turns in the direction of the arrow M.'

The diameters of\the worm wheels 97, 98, the internal gear G, the spur gears 96, 118, 124 and the guide rollers 95 are proportioned so that the winding Ks at the core ofthe film K is forced through the film guide loop 147` at the same rate of rectilinear speed as the clrcumferential speed of the outermost winding Kls of the endless film K. Thereby the tenslon of the film at its outer and linner windings -is -equalized and the film'is eveny wound and unwound during its operalon.

lt is to be noted that the drivrrelg mechals suppe Aby the frames C and B, which extend from the cover of the housing A. When the cover is removed the saidv mechanism can be easil examined. -The opening 101'L in the wall 20 of the casing A is made of large diameter to .allow the shaft 116 which only extends a with an annular supporting disc, an annular disc extension extending from the inner edge of the supporting disc and detachably connected to the turntable, a stationary element within the' said annular disc extension and rotating guide rollers' extending above said element.

2. In an endless film reel the combination of a casing, a detachable cover for the casing, a pair of frames extending from said cover into the casin a turntable with an annular supporting isc above said cover, a cup shaped barrel in the turntable depending from its annular supporting disc, a sleeve coaxial with the barrel and extending from the bottom wall thereof, the bottom end of said sleeve rotatably supported on one of said frames, means to turn said sleeve, a stationary cup shaped gear housing within the cup shaped barrel, a cover for the gear hous` ing, a sleeve extending from the bottom wall of the gear housing fastened tothe latter frame, ay bearing supportedl on the other frame, a main shaft with its bottom end supported in said bearing and its upper end extending into the gear housing and journaled into the cover thereof, means to turn said shaft, an internal gear in the gear housing and fastened to said shaft,'a plurality of spindles journaled in the cover` of the gear y housing, a spur gear fastened to the lower` end of each of said lspindles meshing with said internal gear, a guide roller fastened to each of said spindles above said cover and means to ,turn the turntable.

3. In an endless filmreel the combination of a casing, a detachable cover for the casing, a pair of frames extending from the lower face of the cover into said casing, a. cup shaped turntable with its lower end rotatably supported on one of said frames, a stationary gear housing located within the turntable and fastened to the latter frame, guide rollers 'over the gear housing, means to turn the guide roller with its lowe'r end supported on the second -frame and means to turn the turntable.

4. In an endless film reel the combination of a casing, a detachable cover for the casing, a pair of frames extending from 'the lower face of the cover into said casing, a cup shaped turntable, a sleeve at the bottom end of the turntable rotatably supported on one of vsaid frames, a worm wheel fastened to said sleeve, a. cup shaped gear housing within the cup shaped turntable, a sleeve extending from the gear housing extending through the sleeve ofthe turntable and supported on said frame, a main shaft jourvnaled in the latter sleeve with its lower end supported by the second frame and its upper end extending into the gear housing, a gear inthe gear housing fastened to said shaft, guide rollers journaled above the cover of the gear housing, rotating means between said guide rollers and said gear, a worm wheel fastened to said shaft, a worm'meshmg with each worm wheel, a driving shaft for one of said worms, a shaft for the second Worm and connections between the shafts of the worms.

Signed at the borough of Manhattan cit of New York in the county of New Nor and State of New York this 15th day of .August A. D. 1922.

LYMAN A. WILSON. 

